Fairfield spending needs to be pulled in

I am writing to inform the residents of Fairfield about the Americans with Disabilities Act project in Fairfield Township. The ADA project was an agreement between myself and the township in May 2011. There were certain documents that were produced at the mediation meeting that was held at the township hall to resolve the ADA issues. There was an understanding that the only thing that had to be done was the side doors to the tax office, a ramp with railings and parking spots. The front of the building was not to be touched and that was not part of the agreement.

It seems that a former employee and a few present committee members and a past member took it upon themselves to change the agreement without my knowledge and agreeing to it. To go ahead and do the front of the building and not the side which the agreement stated to do. Because of this change which did not have to be done so far the project cost $27,500.

I was told a number of times by the former employee and Mayor Michael Sharp that a grant was paying for this project. I come to find out a grant was never applied for which means the money has to come from the taxpayers.

The agreement states the only thing that had to be done at the Convenient Center was to have an employee there to help the people with their trash. Again the former employee and some present committee members took it upon themselves to get a compactor. Again the former employee told me that a USDA Grant was going to pay for this project. Come to find out this was another lie by the former employee. The cost of this project was between $29,000 and $30,000 — again taxpayer money.

The point I am trying to bring out is our present mayor, under his watch, never checked to see if the township had the grant money to start and do these projects. Because he never checked, the taxpayers are now faced with all this wasteful spending on some projects that did not have to be done. The amount now totals $57,500 it may be higher. The taxpayer can not afford this type of wasteful spending.

They had 180 days to have this building completed which was more than enough time to apply for grants and then have the money in place to start the project. They also had a 60-day extension here it is July and the project is still not to the agreement.